


Of A Bucket Full of Care

by Adri_K



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26121739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adri_K/pseuds/Adri_K
Summary: Edér chooses a particularly bad way to wake the Watcher and has to deal with the consequences of his choice.
Relationships: Aloth Corfiser/Edér Teylecg/The Watcher, Edér Teylecg/The Watcher
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Of A Bucket Full of Care

Gaura's slumber was no longer deep enough to dream but she wasn't conscious either. Her awareness was just about able to pick up on the things happening around her, but her mind was unable to decipher any of it. It was the state where the bombardment of voices was at its worst. It didn't matter whose voice it was: whether it was a spirit, a god, a person or even the Watcher talking, it all just blurred together in a cacophony that almost felt material, like a mass, barely solid, sort of fuzzy, but definitely shifting, buzzing and filling up her skull.

There were some voices that served as exceptions, however.

'Gaura,' the call was faint at first, barely a whisper. 'Gaura,' Aloth didn't raise his voice, he didn't move and yet the second time his voice became the frame around the chaos in the Watcher's mind. 'Time to wake up,' he said as he caressed her.

'In a minute,' the Watcher felt the words form in her head, she felt her mouth form the words, but she still couldn't tell if she actually said anything.

She received no reply. Only the ghosts kept chattering. Gaura buried her face deeper in her pillow.

'...just exhausted, let her rest,' she heard Aloth again, clearly not talking to her.

'I would, but what if Berath gets pissed at her for sleeping all day?' Edér answered, his voice drowning out everything else for a moment. 'I ain't riskin' it.'

The wizard sighed. 'Very well,’ he sounded resigned and reluctant, ‘but if she gets angry with you...'

The Watcher's consciousness drifted off once more. She might have heard a door opening then closing. And then...

Gaura bolted up with a gasp as she was struck with something extremely cold washing over her. She spent a moment trying to wipe the water from her nose and her eyes, shivering in her soaked nightgown, without the comfort of her fiery hair. She stared wide-eyed and furious at the man standing by her bed.

Edér stifled a snicker before he collected himself, and hid the bucket behind his back. 'Hey, uh... slept well?' He said with the most innocent expression he could muster, glancing at the door of the cabin.

That was enough of a cue for the Watcher to start chanting.

_Blessed was Wengridh, Quickest of His Tribe._

Her footsteps echoed the rhythm of the song and sure enough, Gaura made her way to the door before the veteran could sprint to it. She held on to the handle and glared up at Edér, who barely stopped before he could crash into her.

'Listen, you were taking your time waking up,' he explained, trying and failing to hide his amusement. 'Figured I’d lend a hand,' he gestured with the bucket. It was only at this moment, he realized that maybe he was better off if he dropped it.

Gaura didn't say a word. She let her hand drop from the door and felt her scalp heating up. The droplets still hanging on to it evaporated, creating a puffy cloud of steam rising from her head.

Edér burst out laughing at the sight. 'I'm sorry,' he said with his palms raised defensively, and took a step back. He made no attempt to stifle his laughter this time, however. 'I'm sorry,' he repeated, 'you just look so... adorable right now.'

The Watcher stayed quiet. She took a step forward, holding the farmer's gaze. Then another. Then another. She slowly guided him back to the bed. She glimpsed a spark of anticipation in Edér's eyes as he processed what was happening. He flashed a satisfied and almost adoring smile at her as she pushed him onto the bed, and she couldn't help but reflect his expression as she crawled on top of him. The flames atop Gaura's head reignited just as she leaned over him, momentarily mesmerizing the veteran. The Watcher felt his hands on her thighs, brushing against the edge of her gown, right before he tried to close the gap between them.

But Gaura sat up right before he could do so.

'No,' she said as she pried his hands off her legs and pinned them over Edér's head, bending back down over him, 'not before you apologize.'

'Told you, I was sorry,' Edér reminded her, but he didn't resist beyond that.

'For cracking up, not for the way you woke me up.'

The farmer groaned. 'Sorry,' he said, and he tried craning his neck towards the Watcher again.

'Like you mean it,' Gaura pulled away slightly but still held on to his hands.

'Oh, come on,' Edér's head dropped back on the bed. He sighed. 'It won't happen again.'

'Now you're just blatantly lying.'

'I'm not! You want me to swear?' The veteran complained and shook his head disapprovingly. He looked away for a moment. That moment helped him calm down. It helped both of them calm down. The two of them merely watched each other for the next few seconds. Neither of them moved, neither of them said anything. Edér's feigned distress disappeared from his eyes. A hint of real sorrow took its place. 'Aloth couldn't wake you up,' he explained. 'You were thrashing around and I... just wanted to see you awake and alright, is all.'

'Then why did you act like it was all a prank?'

'Cause it was funny?' A grin was spreading on the farmer’s face but it quickly vanished when the Watcher didn’t share his amusement. 'Thought you could use a morning joke to follow… whatever it was you dreamt about. Guess, I had the wrong idea.'

Gaura was speechless. Her grip on Edér's wrists loosened slightly. He tried reaching up to her again, but he didn't aim for a kiss on her lips, only on her cheek.

'I'm sorry.'

The Watcher contemplated her answer for a moment. 'You're forgiven,' she said as she locked lips with the farmer. Edér relaxed under her and in turn Gaura let herself sink onto his body. They kissed slowly, and there was something lazy about the motion of their lips that made it all feel comfortable, peaceful, even playful in a way. 

Gaura had no idea how much time passed by the time she pulled away. 'We better get changed. If I caught something nasty, I'd be a lot less forgiving,' she gave Edér a pointed look, and got up from the bed.  
'But you would forgive me eventually, right?' He asked gazing after her. 'If I took real good care of you.'

'Maybe,' she flashed an impish half-smile at him. 'You can take care of me now, by changing the sheets you just soaked,' she added as she made her way to her footlocker and started rummaging for some dry clothes.

Edér chuckled and a moment later left to fulfill the Watcher's wish, leaving her alone to get ready for the day.


End file.
